lady fern(species Athyrium filix-femina), a feminaa large, feathery fern classified in the family Aspleniaceae (Aspidiaceae in some classification systems)Woodsiaceae, widely cultivated for ornamentation. Leaves are about 75 cm (30 inches) long and 25 cm (10 inches) wide and grow in circular clusters. Characteristic of the genus are curved or horseshoe-shaped spore-producing clusters (sori) that are covered by a fringed, membranous protective structure (indusium). Lady ferns occur in moist, semi-shaded areas in the temperate zones of the world.